The present invention relates to a coat for covering a dog and, more particularly, to a transparent coat that is fit over a dog and used to mark the locations of lypoma and other tumors as a visible record of tumor location and size.
There are various breeds of dogs that are particularly sensitive to experiencing repetitive onsets of various types of tumors, most often lypomas. Lypomas are fatty tumors that are most often benign, but may be removed for the overall health and well-being of the animal.
In most cases, a paper medical record is maintained for the treated animal, and the doctor may simply draw an illustration of the dog and mark locations on the picture where one or lypomas have been removed. The size of the tumor may also be indicated on the chart. Alternatively, the paper medical record may not include a picture of the animal, and merely use a written description to define the area and size of removed lypomas.
There are problems that exist with this type of record-keeping, the most common being that the record is lost. It may also frequently occur that the information regarding the size and location of a lypoma is generalized and vague (i.e., a treating doctor may simply record xe2x80x9c3 mm tumor removed from left shoulderxe2x80x9d). Thus, when a lypoma recurs in the left shoulder area of the same animal, it may be difficult to determine if this tumor is in the same location as the previous tumor, or in a different location. Additionally, it is difficult to keep accurate records of the exact size and shape of each tumor, making it difficult to track growth in various tumors over time. Therefore, for the purposes of accurate treatment and maintaining sufficient and reliable medical records, another method of recording this information is desirable.
The need remaining in the prior art is addressed by the present invention, which relates to a coat for covering a dog and, more particularly, to a transparent coat that is fit over a dog and used to mark the locations of lypoma and/or other tumors as a visible record of tumor locations and treatment dates.
In accordance with the present invention, a transparent medical record coat is placed around a dog being treated. The treatment professional can then use a permanent marker (or any suitable writing device) to mark the size and location of the tumor, as well as trace the complete outline of the tumor on the coat. The date may also be recorded with the tumor size and location information. This particular coat will then be tagged as associated with this particular animal and become a part of the dog""s medical history. By being able to trace the actual outline of the tumor prior to treatment, the doctor is able to exactly define the size and location of the tumor. When the animal returns for follow-up visits, the coat is then put on the animal again, and the previously-drawn tumor outline is compared with the current condition of the dog in that area. Thus, changes in the size and/or shape of the tumor are easy to determine by comparing the previously-drawn outline against the current condition of the tumor. Further, if other tumors have appeared since a prior visit, these new tumor locations (and, for example, the date) may be marked on the coat.
It is an important aspect of the present invention that these tumor markings on the coat are permanent markings and become part of the animal""s medical record. Thus, if the animal is then treated by any other doctor, the coat may be taken along and reviewed by that person. Additionally, the visual aspect of being able to mark the size and location of each tumor is invaluable to the treating doctor.
It is an additional feature of the present invention that the medical record coat is made of a size to adequately fit the dog, covering all body areas where tumors are likely to occur. In one embodiment, three different sizes (small, medium, and large) have been found adequate to fit various breeds of dogs. The coat itself preferably comprises a single piece of transparent material, but may also be formed of two pieces which are joined together (e.g., an upper torso piece and a lower torso piece).
In another embodiment of the present invention, separate leg pieces may be included with the medical record coat, where separate transparent sections are fit around each leg. Each leg piece may be marked to include the identification of the particular animal being treated, in order to keep the leg pieces from becoming lost or misplaced.
Other and further aspects of the present invention will become apparent during the course of the following discussion and by reference to the accompanying drawings.